What kind of lunch do you pack your preschooler?

[mommysammi]

DS will start preschool in the fall. I'll spend the summer preparing him for preschool. That means no more hot lunches. Besides sandwiches, what do you pack for your preschooler as the main course? TIA.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I am spoiled at ds' preschool as they warm food up. I'd double check that they don't have a microwave for their food.

I'd start seeing if he will eat things like pizza cold. :) That can open up at least some ideas.

Tofu is popular. Pita and hummus.

But, the kids that don't have hot food usually just eat sandwiches. A yummy option for that is raisin bread with cream cheese on it. YOu can also make pinwheel sandwiches with cream cheese or other spread and some shredded veggies on there.

You can pack food in a Thermos- like soup, pasta (raviolli, spaghetti...), rice and beans... That is something I remember my mom doing when I was little.

HTH,
Beth

[betsydenny]

My DD reports a lot of bagels and cream cheese in her class.
We do crackers and hummus or soy"nut" butter as peanut butter isn't allowed.
Some days we don't do a "main" course. I will put in a big yogurt, grapes or carrots, some crackers and a couple of cookies. (of course that means I have all those in stock- so sometimes it is only 3 of that 4 or 5)

HTH!
Betsy

[janeybwild]

Its cold sandwiches for lunch here 90% of the time here too (PB & J, cream cheese & J, hummus, ham & cheese usually);other things include ham and cheese roll ups with a side of crackers; cottage cheese with bagel side; carrot sticks and dip with bread/wrap side; all these with cut up fruit and milk/drinkable yogurt and water. Good idea to start now to figure out her favs. HTH!

[mommysammi]

Wow, thank you so much for your responses. If you don't mind me asking, how did you prepare your child for preschool? DS will be starting in the fall. Over the summer, I'll try to put him on the same lunch and nap schedule as the preschool.

Were there books that were helpful to you and your child? DS will be one of the older two-year olds in his class. Not sure if that means he'll receive less attention since the younger two-year olds will probably require more attention. So, I want to teach him how to be more independent if that's possible. Honestly, I'm kind of scared to put DS into preschool at 2 years old but he really needs to learn to interact with other toddlers. Our weekly library visits and music classes don't give him much of that interaction because I'm always by his side. Same with the playgroups. If I'm there, he'd rather play with me.

Thanks again.

[SnuggleBuggles]

How many days and hours will he be there?

We didn't do anything to prepare ds for preschool, except talk about it some. He went when he was a new 3 and he went just 2 days a week/ 2.5 hours at at time the 1st few months (he did the 2's class). I think how we eased into it helped.

Beth

[mommysammi]

DS will be in school for three days a week and about 5 hours a day. Lunch and nap times are included in the 5 hours. I'm worried that five hours away from me is a long time for him. I'm also afraid that he won't eat and sleep when he's suppose to. Sigh. I guess this just comes with the letting go process. The preschool has a great reputation for being wonderful to the children. I'm also planning to be a sub for the preschool program so I can be in the school while DS is there but not be in his class. Think this is too much?

[ms tinkerbell]

I have been trying to perfect the "preschool lunch" for the last year. And now that my DD is about to start kindergarten in the fall we have made a few good adjustments. My daughter goes to a kosher/nut free school. Which means no meat AND no nuts. So believe me its been a challenge! :)
For starters I would suggest getting this lunch box: http://www.laptoplunches.com/ - It comes with a book that is helpful. But what I have come to realize is that toddlers/preschools just don't eat enough to fill up a regular lunch box. This things is great because it allows her to see all of her food. And the proportion cups are perfect for that age. It also requires NO BAGGIES!! (Read: No extra Trash!)
We do things like baked beans, cold pasta salads, bell peppers, cucumbers, dried fruit, yogurt & granola (nut free), tofu dogs wrapped in dough (pigs in a blanket) cream cheese roll ups with tofurkey, (you can use real turkey too), burrito roll ups with black olives.
I also have another book/website that could help you its called: The Vegan Lunchbox. Wonderful insightful book! Full of recipes and ideas. Since she is vegan and I am not I replace alot of her soy items with dairy items. And she uses nut butters so I just pick & choose.
The only other recommendation is don't fret if he doesn't eat everything. The preschool always reassures me that EVERY parent complain their kid doesn't eat enough... but apparently they are all learning and growing so they are ok. :)
Good luck! I cried when I sent my daughter and now she is starting KINDERGARTEN!!

ciao,
Kristine
Evelyn ~ 4 1/2 and Owen ~ 7 months

[hellbennt]

along the lines of the laptoplunches (which I will now check out, LOL!): I use gladware 4oz containers & put various things inside:
cut up fruit, pasta (room temperature pasta is fine w/ ds)- cut up raviolis, tortolini, palin pasta, even mac n' cheese, cereal- whatever ds likes- cheerios, puffins, whatever, yogurt (or just send a little container but I have a big(ger) container at home usually so I put it in the gladware), broccoli, chickpeas, mixed frozen veggies (I thaw/heat in microwave & put in the container so that they're not still frozen!)
also (I cook these first in the toaster oven & then wrap in foil): fish sticks, munchies brand little squares (spinach munchies & also veggie ones), amy's pocket squares (ds likes the spinach/feta but there are also pizza ones & bean/cheese ones)....


~laura in miami~
ds1 7/03
ds2 7/06